In the thirteenth century the French kings won ascendancy over France, while France achieved political and cultural supremacy over western Europe. Based on French sources, this meticulously documented study provides an account of how Philip Augustus (1179-1223) brought about this transformation of royal power.

Having been the fourth largest lake on the globe roughly 50 years ago, today the Aral Sea no longer exists. Human activities caused its desiccation and the formation of a huge new desert, the Aralkum, which can be regarded as one of the greatest ecological catastrophes and - at the same time - the largest primary succession experiment of mankind. This volume brings together the results of international and interdisciplinary long-term studies on the new desert ecosystem and is divided into four main sections. The first section provides an overview of the physical characteristics of the area and covers geological, pedological, geomorphological and climatological aspects and their dynamics, especially dust-storm dynamics. The second focuses on the biotic aspects and highlights the spatial and temporal patterns of the flora and fauna. In the third section studies and projects aiming to combat desertification by phytomelioration and to develop strategies for the conservation of biodiversity are presented. The book is rounded off with a section providing a synthesis and conclusions.

These two public letters are Calvin’s first publication for a wider audience since his arrival in Geneva. Its preface is dated on 12 January 1537. After years of scholarly activity and travelling in anonymity Guillaume Farel forcefully committed him to the church of Geneva. The young author of the Institutes (1536) was at Farel’s and Viret’s side at the Disputation of Lausanne. He broke any allegiance with the Circle of Meaux and sided wholeheartedly with the reformed cause. The contents of the Epistolae duae, drafted in Ferrara, reveal that Calvin must have revised the manuscript to give testimony to the appeal of the Disputation to the roman catholic clergy. The first letter challenges Christians to break away for idolatry and confess publicly. The second letter is a challenge to the clergy either to reform or lay down their offices. The Epistolae duae are the opening move in the exchange among the reformers on nicodemism. Calvin, as ghost writer of Farel, breaks with the reform movement of Meaux, France. That was what the reformed position in October 1536 had implied. Calvin’s two minor contributions to the Disputation of Lausanne have been added to the present edition.

It is estimated that about 40% of the annual production of metals is used to repair or replace materials damaged by corrosion. Corrosion causes waste of the natural material and energy resources, it creates serious materials problems for many technologies and adversely affects almost every area of engineering. The use of metals in various aggressive environments has resulted in an extremely wide diversity of corrosion problems. This book presents a collection of concise reviews written by experts in the field on selected topics of metallic corrosion and on some aspects of interaction of hydrogen with metals. A comprehensive range of problems is examined including localized corrosion, high temperature corrosion in liquid metals and molten salts, transport control in corrosion processes, entry of hydrogen into metals, hydrogen embrittlement, and hydrogen reactions with metals. The variety of topics covered in the book will provide corrosion scientists, engineers, university lecturers and students alike with an interdisciplinary approach to solving problems of materials degradation and surface processes in metal corrosion.